Hemipteran insects represent an important component of the sorghum pest complex; however, information on the temporal dynamics and host-genotype associations of entire Hemipteran population in forage sorghum remains limited under Mediterranean conditions. This study investigated the taxonomic composition, dominance structure, seasonal dynamics, and host-genotype associations of Hemipteran pests in two sweet sorghum cultivars (M81-E and Topper-76) and two sorghum sudangrass hybrid (Nutrima and Nutri Honey) cultivars in 2020 and 2021 growing seasons in northwestern Türkiye. Field experiments were conducted in a split-plot design with four replications, and insect populations were monitored at approximately 10-day intervals from June to October using sweep netting, aspirator and beat sheet sampling methods. Fifteen Hemipteran taxa were recorded, and the reconstructed quantitative dataset comprised 1,673 individuals. Empoasca decipiens (Paoli) was the dominant species, accounting for 70.95% of total Hemiptera abundance, while aphids collectively represented 16.20%. Total Hemiptera abundance decreased from 1,126 individuals in 2020 to 547 in 2021, corresponding to a 51.4% reduction. Despite this decline, Shannon diversity increased from 0.920 to 1.383, Simpson diversity from 0.401 to 0.602, and Pielou's evenness from 0.399 to 0.577. Seasonal patterns also differed markedly between years, with populations concentrated mainly in September–October in 2020 but in June–July in 2021. Host-genotype associations were similarly year dependent: sorghum sudangrass hybrid cultivars supported higher abundance in 2020, whereas sweet sorghum cultivars supported higher abundance in 2021. These findings demonstrate substantial interannual restructuring of Hemipteran population and indicate that pooled multi-year abundance may obscure biologically relevant temporal variation in host associations. Phenology-based monitoring and multi-year cultivar evaluation should therefore be considered in integrated pest management strategies for Çanakkale forage-sorghum systems.
Present research was conducted to investigate the interactions between deficit irrigation and biochar application in pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Demre Sivrisi) grown under greenhouse conditions in a sandy-loam soil with low water-holding capacity. The experiment was arranged in a 4×4 factorial design with three replications, comprising all combinations of four irrigation levels (100%, 75%, 50% and 25% of field capacity) and four biochar doses (0, 50, 150 and 250 g/5 kg). The amount of irrigation water was determined using a gravimetric method. Plant height, fresh biomass, yield and crop water consumption (ET) were measured, and water use efficiency (WUE), biomass water use efficiency (BWUE), harvest index (HI) and yield response factor (Ky) were calculated. Water deficit markedly reduced all growth and yield parameters; mean yield decreased from 1058 g per pot under full irrigation to 108 g per pot under the most severe deficit. Biochar application increased growth and yield at all irrigation levels, providing about a 35% yield increase at the highest dose relative to the control. Biochar raised the field capacity of the sandy-loam soil by 30% at the highest dose. WUE reached its maximum not under full irrigation but at the 75% irrigation level (15.9 g/L), with the highest WUE (17.0 g/L) obtained at the 75% irrigation–250 g biochar combination. Increasing biochar dose lowered the yield response factor (Ky), reducing the crop's sensitivity to water deficit. Present findings indicated that, in water-scarce regions, combining 75% irrigation with a high biochar dose was an effective strategy to maximize yield per unit water.
With the increasing demand for water over time, coupled with the effects of climate variability, the pressure on existing clean water resources is dramatically increasing. Today, creating alternative water sources has become essential to reduce the pressure on renewable but limited clean water resources. Therefore, treated wastewater stands out as an important option. The reuse of treated wastewater contributes to reducing water scarcity by providing an alternative and sustainable water resource, while also offering significant advantages in terms of environmental protection and resource efficiency. In this study, the potential for reusing treated wastewater from urban wastewater treatment plants in agricultural irrigation was evaluated using the discharge water of the Çanakkale Wastewater Treatment Plant. Within the scope of the study, physical, chemical, microbiological, and toxicological parameters were analyzed in samples taken from the inlet and outlet points of the treatment plant, and the results obtained were evaluated according to the criteria of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Technical Procedures Regulation in force in Türkiye. Considering the discharge water of the treatment plant, it was determined that it largely remained within the limits of the legislation. In addition, it was determined that there is currently no risk in terms of heavy metals and toxic elements. The study determined that treated wastewater has the potential to reduce the fertilizer needs of plants due to the nutrient elements it contains, and this can lead to a decrease in production costs, providing economic advantages in terms of irrigation water and fertilizer requirements. The irrigable areas identified as a result of the spatial analyses reveal significant potential for use, especially for orchards and field crops. Subsurface drip irrigation systems stand out as the most suitable method due to their increased water use efficiency and reduced hygiene risks. In conclusion, it is shown that treated urban wastewater can be used safely and sustainably in agricultural irrigation with appropriate treatment and management strategies, and that this approach will make significant contributions to the conservation of water resources, circular water management, and the reduction of production costs.
Agricultural digitalization has become an important part of productivity growth and sustainable development of agriculture. However, empirical evidence remains mixed about how different dimensions of digitalization affect agricultural value added. This study looks at the short-run and long-run effects of digitalization on agricultural value added in Türkiye, by using annual data for the period 2001–2023. Agricultural value added is used as the dependent variable, while Internet use and fixed broadband subscriptions stand for two indicators of digitalization. Fertilizer consumption and rural population are added as control variables. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds-testing approach is used to estimate both the long-run relationship and the short-run dynamics among the variables. The bounds test provides evidence of a long-run relationship at the 10% significance level, although the result is inconclusive at the 5% level. In the long-run estimates, Internet use has a positive but statistically insignificant coefficient, while fixed broadband subscriptions have a positive and statistically significant coefficient. Fertilizer consumption has a negative but statistically insignificant coefficient, whereas rural population has a negative and statistically significant coefficient. The Error Correction Model (ECM) shows that short-run deviations from the long-run relationship are corrected over time, with a negative and statistically significant error-correction coefficient. The diagnostic tests indicate no evidence of serial correlation or heteroskedasticity, while the CUSUM tests support parameter stability. An additional analysis using mobile cellular subscriptions extends the sample period and shows that the results are sensitive to the digitalization indicator used. In this alternative specification, the bounds test does not provide evidence of a long-run relationship. The findings therefore do not support a uniform relationship between digitalization and agricultural value added. Instead, the results vary across digitalization indicators and model specifications. Rather than combining digitalization measures into a single ICT indicator, the study examines alternative digitalization measures separately to assess whether the results depend on the indicator used.
The objective of this study was to examine the impact of incorporating visnagin in a ram semen diluent on sperm motility, kinematics, membrane integrity, mitochondrial function and DNA integrity as functional indicators of cryodamage. Eight Tuj breed rams were used in the study. Semen samples were collected from the rams using an artificial vagina, then pooled and divided into five equal volumes. These samples were then diluted in a Tris-egg yolk diluent containing 0, 0.5, 25, 50 or 250 µM visnagin, before being cryopreserved. Following thawing, sperm motility and kinematic parameters were evaluated using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). DNA integrity, acrosomal integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential and plasma membrane integrity were evaluated using standard fluorescence protocols. In the group treated with 25 µM visnagin, plasma membrane integrity was significantly higher, and there was a numerical increase in both total and progressive motility compared to the control group. In the study, visnagin at a dose of 250 µM showed a decrease in VCL, VAP, VSL, ALH, and BCF values. Although there was a numerically higher mitochondrial membrane potential in the group treated with 250 µM of Visnagin compared with the other groups, the rate of acrosomal damage was significantly lower. Consequently, whilst no adverse effects on sperm were observed at low doses of visnagin (0, 0.5, 25 and 50 µM), it was noted that, although the 250 µM dose reduced the rate of acrosomal damage, it also lowered VCL, VAP and BCF levels.
